Thoughts on secular middle school science

[LanaTron]

On Mr. Hewitt's Conceptual Physics website I see:

 

Conceptual Physics for Everyone

Conceptual Physics, 9th ed.

Conceptual Physics Lab Manual, 9th ed.

Practicing Physics: Conceptual Physics

Conceptual Physical Science

 

Where did you find a high school level text?

 

Thank you!

[LanaTron]

Interactive 1 last year... (older edition - not the current one although they appear to be similar) and most of our supplies I've gotten either from Home Science Tools or the regular Radio Shack/ grocery store/ hardware store type sources. The labs really haven't been much of a problem -- we skipped a couple and adapted a few more, but they're really not that bad.

 

I'm not keen on hunting down supplies, but it is good to know that the Singapore labs can be done. I sure wish some place would put together a kit for these books.

 

Thanks for your input.

[Kathy in MD]

And since the subject of secular curriculum is already up in this thread, would someone give me feedback on the handling of the subject in my history curriculum? I don't want to waste my time writing a secular curriculum if secular curriculum shoppers will find it unacceptable. I am trying to follow UILE and SOTW in this one. The next one will be UILE and Little History of the World. .......

 

I think this deserves a thread of its own. I know that I, as a Christian who prefers secular materials, would probably have a different take on your work than a Pagan, a Taoist, or an atheist or......

[Kathy in MD]

Makes me reconsider whether I really want to use PHSE or not.

 

 

I won't use PHSE again, but not becasuse of the errors. There are all sorts of errors found in all types of books,; teaching the older, more established beliefs instead of the lastest evidence, true, minor errors, oversimplifing knowledge to make it easier to grasp in the early years, differences in opinion of what is important, and then there is major errors. Nit-picky errors don't bother me, especially because I've often seen alledged "errors" that weren't really errors, the author did have adequate evidence to support the statements.

 

From what I've heard and experienced with PHSE, the errors generally are minor errors. I just find it inferior in many ways to a program I prefer.

[Kathy in MD]

Then it seems that you are no longer pursuing a secular curriculum; you a pursuing one that religious people will like. I think the market is fairly saturated with those. ;)

 

But I understand better why you created our outline the way you did.

 

Tara

 

Yes, there are people who do not have any form of belief in a higher being or faith. However, I believe that most people do believe in something above and beyond themselves.

 

For me, secular history includes teaching about these various beliefs in a respectful way that shows their impact on history. That doesn't preclude showing the bad aspects and how various followers have twisted those beliefs at times. But it does mean teaching the good as well as the bad. It does not mean prostiltizing. And I do understand that teaching any amount of bad effects will offend some.

 

But I still don't believe that a secular program should go out of it's way to offend various religious groups, so in that way it's good to check with some, especially the more easy going ones, to see if they have been inadvertantly offended. I also realize that you can't please everyone; some are easily offended and some will be offended just because.

 

Conversely, I don't believe secular materials should become a means of prostilizing for atheists.

 

Though I may squirm on rare occasions with secular materials, I generally prefer them. I do appreciate that secular materials are no longer afraid to teach about various religions' impact on history. Beliefs of any stripe DO impact history. Teaching about all those beliefs gives us a better understanding of history.

 

I also feel like I'm under less attack with them than I am with many, but not all, Christian materials.

[Kathy in MD]

Well you know, it is highly debatable how much of the Hebrew Bible is historically accurate, and how much is fable and allegory.

 

I'm not at all comfortable with the Bible being treated as "history".

 

Bill

 

But don't we accept recorded oral traditions, legends and epics from other cultures as ways to help piece together their history? So why wouldn't atheists and non-Judeo-Christian-Muslims accept the Bible in the the same manner?

[Lovedtodeath]

I think this deserves a thread of its own. I know that I, as a Christian who prefers secular materials, would probably have a different take on your work than a Pagan, a Taoist, or an atheist or......

It should have been a separate thread. ?But I do want the curriculum to be acceptable to pagans, Taoists and atheists, though. They don't have much to choose from.

 

I am a Christian who prefers secular materials too. Feel free to email me with questions, requests, suggestions. :)

[mcconnellboys]

I don't know, I've had mine for a while. I believe I got both the book and workbook at Amazon, or perhaps one of them at Half.com.

 

Here's one site that lists the workbook:

 

http://www.bookfinder.com/dir/i/Conceptual_Physics-The_High_School_Physics_Program._Laboratory_Manual/020128653X/

 

I think this is a site with the high school text:

 

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Book_Conceptual_Physics_A_High_School_Physics_Program_Paul_G_Hewitt

 

Here's more info from the publisher:

 

http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZ6Mo&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=811&PMDbSubCategoryId=23496&PMDbSubjectAreaId=23551&PMDbProgramId=62681

 

And here's Conceptual Chemistry from the publisher (with the author's name you should be able to find it used, too):

 

http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZ6Mo&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=811&PMDbSubCategoryId=23496&PMDbSubjectAreaId=23548&PMDbProgramId=25641

[LanaTron]

From what I've heard and experienced with PHSE, the errors generally are minor errors. I just find it inferior in many ways to a program I prefer.

 

You find that CPO is superior to PHSE, right?

 

Thanks for your comments. CPO is certainly in the running for me now, based on this thread and another that has been started on this board. I have a few questions, but I think I'll ask in the thread that is dedicated to CPO.

[LanaTron]

I don't know, I've had mine for a while. I believe I got both the book and workbook at Amazon, or perhaps one of them at Half.com.

 

Here's one site that lists the workbook:

 

http://www.bookfinder.com/dir/i/Conceptual_Physics-The_High_School_Physics_Program._Laboratory_Manual/020128653X/

 

I think this is a site with the high school text:

 

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Book_Conceptual_Physics_A_High_School_Physics_Program_Paul_G_Hewitt

 

Here's more info from the publisher:

 

http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZ6Mo&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=811&PMDbSubCategoryId=23496&PMDbSubjectAreaId=23551&PMDbProgramId=62681

 

And here's Conceptual Chemistry from the publisher (with the author's name you should be able to find it used, too):

 

http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZ6Mo&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=811&PMDbSubCategoryId=23496&PMDbSubjectAreaId=23548&PMDbProgramId=25641

 

It is OOP, which is why I didn't see it at the Pearson website, or Mr. Hewitt's website. I'm not sure what I think about using a science book that was last published in 1992, though. It could be okay, or there could be a fair amount of outdated material--which could still be okay over the long haul, as long as my dc learn the basics.

 

There are a couple of books at the Pearson site, however, that might work, but they are physical science books, not the individual chem and phys books at a high school level.

 

Still much to ponder, it seems. :)

 

Thanks for your help!!

[LanaTron]

Sorry. I stand corrected. These can be high school level, but they are considered AP or honors, correct? My ds is only going into 8th grade, so I am looking for something appropriate for 8th-9th grade. These may still work, I'm just trying to pick what will be most appropriate for him. Thanks again.

[LanaTron]

I think I'll ask over on the high school, board, too. I'm sure someone can point me in the right direction with these conceptual books.